The Amish preserve their eggs by using a method called "water glassing", which involves submerging fresh eggs in a pickling lime solution, which keeps the eggs fresh for 12 months to 24 months.
Amish also use other traditional methods of preserving eggs, which includes coating the eggs in lard, which seals the pores and even burying the eggs in some dry wood ash, or pickling the eggs in beet juice and vinegar.
When using "water glassing" for preserving the eggs, they use only farm fresh and unwashed eggs that have the natural "blooms", which is the protective outer coating, as washed eggs will spoil.
The Amish then mix around 1 ounce of pickling lime (calcium hydroxide) with 1 quart of distilled water or 4 ounces per gallon.
Then they place the eggs carefully into a food safe glass crock or jar, with the small end of the egg facing down and then they pour lime water over the eggs until they are submerged completely.
The lime creates an alkaline barrier that seals the egg's pores, which prevents any bacteria and air from getting into the egg.
Next the eggs are stored in a cool and dark place and they can last for up to a year or more.
Mexicans also don't refrigerate their eggs because Mexican eggs are not washed before they are sold.
Instead the eggs in Mexico, retain the eggs natural protective membrane that is called the "cuticle" or the "bloom,".
The "cuticle" or "bloom," seals the eggs shells and prevents bacteria from entering the egg.
The cuticle is a filmy barrier, which keeps the oxygen and moisture of the egg and shell balanced while blocking out the contaminants.
And in countries such as Canada, and the United States, regulations instead require that the eggs be washed to remove external bacteria and dirt, but the washing process strips away the natural cuticle and makes the egg shell porous and require continuous refrigeration to prevent spoilage.
You can also tell if your eggs are bad by cracking them open and if you smell a foul odor or sour or sulfuric odor then the eggs are bad.
If you want to check or tell if the eggs are bad without cracking them open, you can drop the eggs in a bowl of cold water.
When eggs are fresh and good, the eggs will sink to the bottom of the bowl of water.
And when the eggs are bad, the eggs will float to the top of the water.
Eggshells are porous, and so air slowly builds up inside of the eggs over time.
And the more air that is inside the egg, the more the egg will float.
When the egg sinks to the bottom and lays flat, the egg is perfectly flat.
When the egg stands upright at the bottom, the egg is older, but safe to eat and is great for hard boiling.
When the egg floats entirely at the surface, the egg is spoiled and should be thrown out and not cooked or eaten.
Fresh eggs that are cracked open, should also smell mild or even completely odorless.
Bad or spoiled eggs, when cracked open will emit a distinct, pungent sulfur or rotten smell, even after cooking.
If the egg smells bad, throw the egg away.
If it's not smelling bad, you can also tell if the egg is still bad by cracking the egg, and looking closely at the egg to ensure that the egg is healthy and free of bacteria.
When the egg is fresh and safe to eat, the egg yolk, should be round and plump and the white should be thick and stay contained.
When the egg is bad, the egg yolk, will be very flat or break easily and the egg white will be runny and watery.
You should always throw out any eggs that have pink, green, black or iridescent whites.
Also if the egg has slimy or powdery shells they should be thrown out.
You can also use the shake test to check if an egg is bad.
Hold the egg near your ear and then give the egg a gentle shake.
If the egg is fresh and dense, the egg should remain silent.
If the egg has any sloshing or slapping around sound, when you shake the egg, the egg is older and has taken on more air and is likely spoiled and should be thrown out.